0510

Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) — 2026 Past Papers

The Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) 2026 examination so far has 2 exam sessions totalling 25 downloadable files (186.6 MB). Every session bundle includes question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS) and examiner reports (ER) for each of the 3 paper components, plus grade thresholds (GT) where Cambridge has released them. Use the session cards below to download individual papers, or jump to a different year at the bottom of the page.

Exam sessions
2
Papers / files
25
Download size
186.6 MB
Paper components
3

2026 Exam Sessions

Feb/Mar Series

March

2026

M
Files 8
Size 49.4 MB
Series code 0510_m26
View papers
May/Jun Series

May-June

2026

S
Files 17
Size 137.2 MB
Series code 0510_s26
View papers

0510 Paper Components Set in 2026

In 2026, Cambridge set 5 distinct paper variants across the 2 sessions of IGCSE English - Second Language. All variants of a given paper test the same syllabus content and are graded to the same standard — only the specific questions differ.

Why multiple variants? Cambridge sets two or three versions of every paper to manage exam security across global time zones. A paper sat at 9am local time in Singapore would finish before the same paper started in the UK — without separate variants, leaked questions could spread westward before Western candidates sat down. Each administrative zone's timetable sets which variant its schools sit.

How to read the variant code: the two-digit number after the slash is paper-number + variant-number. So 0510/12 is Paper 1, Variant 2; 0510/21 is Paper 2, Variant 1. Your school's administrative zone determines which variant you sit: in the November 2026 timetable, for 0510, Variant 1 is sat in Zones 2 and 3, Variant 2 in Zones 4 and 5, and Variant 3 in Zones 1 and 6. Which zones sit which variant differs from subject to subject, so ask your exams officer which zone your school is in.

2026 variant pattern: the Feb/March series — where offered — only sets Variant 2 papers; May/June and October/November sessions typically set all available variants. March 2026 set variants 12, 22; May-June 2026 set variants 12, 13, 21, 22, 23.

Paper 1
Reading and Writing
60 marks
2 hr
2026 variants: 12, 13
Paper 2
Listening
40 marks
About 50 min
2026 variants: 21, 22, 23
Paper 3
Speaking
40 marks
10-15 min

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is each 0510 paper and how many marks is it worth?

Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) is made up of 3 paper components totalling 140 marks.

  • 1
    Reading and Writing
    2 hr 60 marks
  • 2
    Listening
    About 50 min 40 marks
  • 3
    Speaking
    10-15 min 40 marks

Note: Times shown are the official Cambridge exam lengths. Since 2024 there is one tier: every candidate sits Paper 1 (Reading and Writing) and Paper 2 (Listening), and Paper 3 is the Speaking test, run by the school.

When are Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language exams held?

Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) is offered in up to three sessions each year: Feb/March (limited to certain regions, mainly India), May/June (the main worldwide session), and October/November. Most candidates sit either the May/June or October/November series. The 2026 papers on this page cover all 2 sessions that ran in 2026.

View the full Cambridge exam timetable →

What's the difference between Paper variants like 11, 12 and 13?
Cambridge produces several variant papers from each paper to manage exam logistics across global time zones. Papers 11, 12 and 13 are three different versions of Paper 1; papers 21, 22 and 23 are three versions of Paper 2; and so on. Your school assigns you to one version based on your administrative zone. Each version of the paper usually has its own questions, not duplicated from the others, and the specific topics tested often differ between the variant papers of a session — the topic mix on the version you sit may differ noticeably from another candidate's. Cambridge calibrates all variant papers to equivalent overall difficulty and sets a separate grade threshold for each one. For thorough revision, rotate through different versions when you practise past papers — each one covers a different slice of the syllabus.
Is one paper variant harder than another?
No version of the paper is systematically "easier" or "harder" than the others. Cambridge writes every variant paper to the same overall difficulty target, and if small differences emerge during a session they're absorbed by per-paper grade thresholds set after marking — a slightly harder version typically gets a slightly lower threshold, so candidates end up worth the same grade for the same level of performance. You can't choose your variant paper anyway (your school's administrative zone determines it). If a friend's paper looks "easier" than yours, it's usually because the specific topic mix happened to hit their strengths rather than the paper being genuinely lighter.
Are mark schemes and examiner reports free to download?
Yes — and LumiExams makes them easy to find. The 0510 question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), examiner reports (ER) and grade thresholds (GT) are all © Cambridge Assessment International Education, published after each session as free educational materials. LumiExams does not own these documents — we organise the official Cambridge PDFs by year and session so you can study with the same materials your teachers and exam officers reference, and we link directly to each file. For official syllabuses, registration and assessment policy, refer to cambridgeinternational.org.
How should I use the 2026 English - Second Language papers for revision?

Work through one full paper under timed exam conditions, mark it with the official mark scheme, then read the examiner report for that session. The examiner report highlights the questions students typically got wrong and explains why — that's where the highest-leverage revision wins are. Cambridge updates each syllabus in roughly 3-year cycles, so the 2026 papers reflect the syllabus version that was active in 2026. Before relying on these for the year you're sitting, confirm the active syllabus on Cambridge International's official 0510 page.

Cambridge International 0510 syllabus page →

When will Cambridge 2027 English - Second Language papers be available?
Cambridge releases past papers a few months after each exam session, so 2027 papers appear gradually rather than all at once. 2026 (shown above) currently has the most recent 0510 papers — new 2027 question papers, mark schemes and examiner reports will appear here on LumiExams as soon as Cambridge publishes them. Your exams officer can confirm when your centre gets access.